Highway 417 Widening

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Does the MTO have a proper website with updates? I could not find one.

Not a very good one, but this site lists the various projects that are underway:

https://queenswayexpansioneast.com/

(Edit: and this one: https://www.highway417cpr-otrainbridges.com)

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

Not a very good one, but this site lists the various projects that are underway:

https://queenswayexpansioneast.com/

(Edit: and this one: https://www.highway417cpr-otrainbridges.com)

Thanks again!

[HighwayStar]

Anyone know if some swanky new Overhead display boards are going in with this expansion?

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Thanks for that. Now apparently the left lane between Island Park and Rochester is closed. Does the MTO have a proper website with updates? I could not find one.

I think this is related to the Trillium Bridge replacement. It was originally the right lane closed at Parkdale, but it was abrupt and hidden around the corner. I think they closed the left lane right after the existing construction at Island park, and continued that through to the existing closure at Parkdale, where they implemented a lane shift to the left. This maintains the 3 lane cross section from the construction at Island Park, and eliminates the sudden lane closure at Parkdale.

[AuxTown]

Originally Posted by Catenary

I think this is related to the Trillium Bridge replacement. It was originally the right lane closed at Parkdale, but it was abrupt and hidden around the corner. I think they closed the left lane right after the existing construction at Island park, and continued that through to the existing closure at Parkdale, where they implemented a lane shift to the left. This maintains the 3 lane cross section from the construction at Island Park, and eliminates the sudden lane closure at Parkdale.

Not sure but I agree sounds like it's related to the rail bridge. They finished the road but they still have temporary barriers down the centre that will need to be replaced eventually.

[OTownandDown]

Originally Posted by AuxTown

Not sure but I agree sounds like it's related to the rail bridge. They finished the road but they still have temporary barriers down the centre that will need to be replaced eventually.

Somebody suggested on this forum 2 weeks ago that the left lane should remain closed between the two construction sites, after daily accidents (or several per day). People would exit the highway widening project, switching into the left lane, accelerate, and immediately rear-end stopped traffic on the blind-ish right hand corner at the bridge replacement project. For the first few days, the flexi-posts were consistently ripped out of the pavement as people still attempted this maneuver. As it stands, there's still daily new tire marks and plastic bits in the space between the two projects, roughly overtop of Island Park. So the accidents continue despite the change. For whatever reason, traffic slows at the transitway bridge replacement, even though the lane pattern stays the same throughout. Must be those damn Parkdale mergers (the worst).

By the way, what's with all the downhill right hand corners on the Queensway? I've almost been in severe accidents three times now, mostly in Westbound traffic at Bronson, but the same occurs eastbound at Parkdale. The slight right hand corner means that drivers are blinded to traffic ahead by the vehicles directly in front of them. Luckily for me, it was always the cars immediately ahead of me that were in multi-car pileups (unlucky for them). People don't leave enough space to react, when the car ahead comes to an immediate, catastrophic, halt. I had no warning, except for the car in front of me suddenly exploding in a cloud of plastic bits. I was able to avoid the three write-off cars ahead of me by mere inches, along with the car behind me as well, which ended up next to me, mirrors touching, in the same lane and a cloud of burnt tires and smoking engines.

[eltodesukane]

Also the 417 Westbound exit at Bronson follows closely the Westbound entrance at Lyon.

[silvergate]

Originally Posted by OTownandDown

By the way, what's with all the downhill right hand corners on the Queensway? I've almost been in severe accidents three times now, mostly in Westbound traffic at Bronson, but the same occurs eastbound at Parkdale. The slight right hand corner means that drivers are blinded to traffic ahead by the vehicles directly in front of them. Luckily for me, it was always the cars immediately ahead of me that were in multi-car pileups (unlucky for them). People don't leave enough space to react, when the car ahead comes to an immediate, catastrophic, halt. I had no warning, except for the car in front of me suddenly exploding in a cloud of plastic bits. I was able to avoid the three write-off cars ahead of me by mere inches, along with the car behind me as well, which ended up next to me, mirrors touching, in the same lane and a cloud of burnt tires and smoking engines.

This points more to a problem in our driver training and licensing system than it does the road. The amount of generally bad driving you will see everywhere in Canada is quite scary really.

[Marshsparrow]

Really disappointed that they went with the standard ugly light poles and not the nice themed ones like 417 east of downtown or the high mast ones...

[sgera]

Originally Posted by Marshsparrow

Really disappointed that they went with the standard ugly light poles and not the nice themed ones like 417 east of downtown or the high mast ones...

Totally agree - one would have thought that the MTO would have kept or consistent

[OTownandDown]

You mean the recently installed light poles, with the powder coated and now peeling Canadian flags? Or do you mean the poorly installed precast at the overpasses which are no longer sealed and have loose pieces falling off?

Trolling aside: Halleluiah the westbound lanes are fully OPEN at Carling Here's hoping the eastbound lanes follow suit and the godawful chicane can finally be deleted.

If I'm not mistaken, that leaves a bit of cleanup left at Nicholas before everything is opened and non-construction until spring paving?

[Norman Bates]

I saw this afternoon that a VMS has been erected on 417 eastbound between Maitland and Carling. There was a crew working on its south side foundation. Uncertain if they were addressing mechanical or electrical.

[Dengler Avenue]

Speed limit’s back to 100 kph west of Rochester Street.

[rocketphish]

10 bridges along Ottawa section of Hwy 417 to get $170-million in repairs

By: Eric O'Brien, CityNews
about 6 hours ago

"This investment signals that there will be confidence in our city to recover in the tourism sector and will make it easier for people to visit," says Lisa MacLeod, Ontario Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries.

The Ontario government will be injecting $170-million into Ottawa's infrastructure -- specifically the bridges which allow Highway 417 traffic to flow above certain city streets.

Ontario Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries Lisa MacLeod says the investment will allow bridges on Booth Street, Rochester Street, Bronson Street, Percy Street and Preston Street to be rebuilt over the next five years.

"I am very proud as the MPP for Nepean, and as the minister of tourism to be announcing this investment for 10 bridges that will rehabilitate and really provide safe and reliable transportation," MacLeod says.

Tentative reconstruction schedules show end-dates for the Booth Street and Rochester Street bridges in 2022, Bronson Street and Percy Street in 2023, and Preston Street in 2024.

"This will be absolutely critical, as our third largest economy within the city of Ottawa is, of course, tourism, which was hit hard first and will take the longest to recover as a result of COVID-19," she says.

The minister says the investment is a signal from the Ontario government that it is confident Canada's capital will see a significant recovery in the tourism sector following the pandemic.

https://ottawa.citynews.ca/local-new...epairs-3525728

[Norman Bates]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

10 bridges along Ottawa section of Hwy 417 to get $170-million in repairs

By: Eric O'Brien, CityNews
about 6 hours ago

"This investment signals that there will be confidence in our city to recover in the tourism sector and will make it easier for people to visit," says Lisa MacLeod, Ontario Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries.

The Ontario government will be injecting $170-million into Ottawa's infrastructure -- specifically the bridges which allow Highway 417 traffic to flow above certain city streets.

Ontario Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries Lisa MacLeod says the investment will allow bridges on Booth Street, Rochester Street, Bronson Street, Percy Street and Preston Street to be rebuilt over the next five years.

"I am very proud as the MPP for Nepean, and as the minister of tourism to be announcing this investment for 10 bridges that will rehabilitate and really provide safe and reliable transportation," MacLeod says.

Tentative reconstruction schedules show end-dates for the Booth Street and Rochester Street bridges in 2022, Bronson Street and Percy Street in 2023, and Preston Street in 2024.

"This will be absolutely critical, as our third largest economy within the city of Ottawa is, of course, tourism, which was hit hard first and will take the longest to recover as a result of COVID-19," she says.

The minister says the investment is a signal from the Ontario government that it is confident Canada's capital will see a significant recovery in the tourism sector following the pandemic.

https://ottawa.citynews.ca/local-new...epairs-3525728

Conservatives announcing something already funded by the Liberals?

[J.OT13]

This has just about 0 to do with tourism. Not like when we built the 417 to Montreal for Expo 67' (or was it the 76' Olympics).

Common for new (or in this case new-ish) Governments to claim credit for past Governments' work or commitments (how often does Watson thank O'Brian for his work on Lansdowne or the Confederation Line). Or Governments to re-announce the same spending over and over again to make it seem like new investments.

[Tesladom]

Originally Posted by Norman Bates

Conservatives announcing something already funded by the Liberals?

Planned vs funded. Liberals never funded this part, this dates back to something like 2008 Plan to widen and improve the Queensway.
Whichever government is in power will do the ribbon cutting and try to take the credit and be there for the ribbon cutting ceremony
Not a Liberal vs Conservative thing

[MountainView]

Originally Posted by Norman Bates

I saw this afternoon that a VMS has been erected on 417 eastbound between Maitland and Carling. There was a crew working on its south side foundation. Uncertain if they were addressing mechanical or electrical.

There is also a new one, westbound near the same location. I was heading east so I couldn't get an exact location... looked to be west of the Carling on-ramps.

Although this one is not an overhead sign... its on the right hand side and looks like this:

[MountainView]

Originally Posted by Norman Bates

I saw this afternoon that a VMS has been erected on 417 eastbound between Maitland and Carling. There was a crew working on its south side foundation. Uncertain if they were addressing mechanical or electrical.

This also still isn't in use - or at least wasn't today.

It would be good to display "Left lane closed beyond Parkdale" on this VMS.

The only other warnings for that are on the portable VMS trailer versions which are extremely difficult to see if in any lane other than the right.

[rocketphish]

Two Hwy. 417 ramps closed in downtown Ottawa starting Monday night

CTVNewsOttawa.ca Staff
Published Sunday, August 22, 2021 2:20PM EDT Last Updated Sunday, August 22, 2021 2:20PM EDT

OTTAWA -- Two busy access ramps on Highway 417 in Centretown and the Glebe will be closed starting this week for construction.

The Highway 417 eastbound exit ramp at Bronson Avenue will be closed starting at 10 p.m. Monday, until next June.

The Highway 417 westbound access ramp at Lyon Street will close at 10 p.m. Monday. The ramp will remain closed until November 2025.

In a statement, the city of Ottawa says the closures are necessary so crews can replace retaining walls, noise barrier walls and repair existing infrastructure along the highway.

Motorists are advised to follow these detours for the closures:

Hwy. 417 eastbound exit ramp at Bronson

• To exit before reaching the closed ramp, take the Carling/Kirkwood Avenue exit ramp
• Continue eastbound on Carling Avenue to Bronson Avenue

Or

• To exit after passing the closed ramp, take the Kent Street exit ramp
• Turn left at Catherine Street and continue to Bronson Avenue

Hwy. 417 westbound access ramp at Lyon Street

• Continue westbound on Catherine Street
• Access Highway 417 westbound at Bronson Avenue

The Ministry of Transportation has announced plans to replace the Bronson Avenue bridge, one of five bridges scheduled to be replaced over the next five years. Noise barriers are also being added along the highway from Bronson to Lyon Street.

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/two-hwy-41...ight-1.5556915


More details:
https://queenswayexpansioneast.com/h...-rideau-canal/